Method and apparatus for laying up cloth



March 20, 1928. 1,663,496

J. EBENHART METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LAYING UP CLOTH Filed Jan. 30. 1926 MILWCQW,

Patented Mar. 20, 1928.

UNlTED STATES 1,663,496 rarest orricn.

JOSEPH EBENHART, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HARRY J'. SILVERMAN, OF NEW YORK, Y.

METHOD AND AIPARATUS FOR LAYING U1? CLOTH.

Application filed January 30, 1926. Serial No. 85,067.

This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus whereby various textile materials can be rapidly laid up prior to cutting out various pieces therefrom corresponding to different parts of a garment.

The invention will be understood from the following specifications when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a suitable apparatus for carrying out my improved method;

Fig. 2 is a plan View on an enlarged scale of a rack shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of certain apparatus shown in Fig. 1, theparts being in a different position.

Fig. 4 is a detailed View of the clothsupporting rack;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional View on line 55 of Fig. 4 illustrating one of these adjustable cloth suspension pins. v

Heretofore it has been customary when laying up cloth to be subsequently cut out according to the outlines of various pattern pieces, to take a bolt of goods and unwind it while the operator walked along a table and spread the material flatwise thereon. When he reached one end. of the table he would have a fiat piece, say ten or fifteen yards long spread out. He would then walk back to the starting point, fold over the material and repeat the excursion many times until he had built up a stack of perhaps from to 1 00 layers of goods. In laying up material in this way, it is imperative that there be no wrinkles or irregularities in any layer because such a condition would cause variations in the difierent garment pieces to be subsequently cut from the laid up material. It takes considerable time to lay up the material fiatwise on a horizontal surface according to the prior practice above briefly referred to. r

My improved method and apparatus provides a method whereby 'material can be quickly and properly laid up. It being unnecessary for the operator to waste time in smoothing out the material as he proceeds with his work.

Referring in detail to the drawings, I provide a rectangular frame consisting of top and bottom pieces 10 and 12 connected by end ieces 14 and 16. This frame is suspended y a plurality of ropes 18, 20, 22 and The top piece 10 at one end carries a supporting or suspension pin 36 and at the other end a similar suspension pin 38. The member 10 also carries a pluralityof intermediate suspension pins 40. The several *suspension pins are of identical construction and a detailed description of one will suffice for all. As illustrated in Fig. 5, the suspension pin 36 is formed with an integral collar 42, a square shank 44 and a threaded stem 46. A washer 48 fits loosely over the stem 46 and a wing nut 50 engages the threads of said stem. The shank 44 of the pin 36 is adjustable in a slot 52 formed at one end of the top piece 10 and the shank of the pin 38 at the other end of the frame is adjustable within asimilar slot 54. The intermediate suspension pins as shown are not adjustable but if desired they too may be mounted in slots.

At the ends of the lower member 12 are provided screw eyes56 carrying tie strings 58 by which the lower end of the frame may be anchored to suitable cleats indicated at 60 which are secured to legs 64 of a suitable work table 66. Of course it is understood that the pull ropes 30' and 32 will be fastened to a suitable cleat to hold the frame in the position shown inFig. 1.

In laying up cloth and cutting out garments according to my method I first lay out only onelayer of material flatwise on the table 66 and mark thereon by use of suitable paper patterns carboard templates or similar expedients the outlines to which the material to be subsequently laid up will be cut out. I then take the free end of the piece on which the design has been drawn, for example the ends 68 indicated in Fig. 2 and slip it on the pointed suspension pin 36, pushing the material back against the collar 42. I then walk along the frame and fasten the upper edge of the material to the several pins 40 and when I reach. the and pin 38, I

retrace my steps folding the material of course as indicated at 70 and engaging the upper edge thereof with the pins 40. When the end pin 36 is reached I again fold the material and repeat this operation until a desired number of thickneses are built up, in this Zig zag fashion. Because the material is suspended from its upper edge gravity greatly assists in holding it in a vertical plane. In other words I avoid wrinkles and unevenness which occur when the material is laid on a flat surface such as a table or work bench.

The desired nuebor of thickness having been laid up on the suspension pin 1 untie the strings 58 and elevate the frame by pulling the cords 30 and 32 until the bottom frame piece 12 above the surface of the table 66. I then swing the frame backward beyond the edge T2 of the table and lower it slightly, letting the frame and. its contents fulcrum on th rear edge '72 of the table, I pay off rope and deposit the built up layers of material on top of the table 66. The last layer 7% indicated in F 2 which was laid up, engaging the top surface of the table 66. The frame is then lifted so as to pull out the several suspension pins. This leaves the stack of material free and unobstructed. with the layer on which the design was first marked uppermost f r 'uidance of the cutter. iVhile one operator is cutting the material on the table 66 which has been laid up as above described another operator can be laying up material on the same frame. Because the frame hangs vertically along an edge of the table opposite to that side on which the cutter works. This is an important consideration and enables practically twice as much work to be done in the same amount of floor space required by prior methods of laying up material. lVhen rental values are high this is an important item, and much of this work is done 1 in metropolitan districts.

vVhile not limited thereto my improved method is particularly well adapted for use in laying up thin flimsy material such as used in manufacturing wearing apparel for infants. Material such as lawns, percales, long cloth and the like are extremely diihcult to lay out flatwise on a horizontal surface withoutbulging, wrinkling or otherwise warping and distorting the same. -Whereas with my improved method and apparatus they can be laid out very smoothly and uniformly.

lVhile I have described quite specifically certain apparatus and certain sequence of steps in my improved method, it is understood that 1 am not limited thereto since various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

W hat I claim is: I a

1. An apparatus of the class described comprising a frame carrying a plurality of suspension pins and means for elevating and lowering said frame with aparallel motion.

2. In combination with a cloth laying frame, a suspension pin having a squared shank slidably engaging a slot in said frame and means for clamping the suspension pin to the frame at different positions along said slot.

3. An apparatus of the class described comprising a skeleton frame having a pinrality of suspension pins adjustably secured thereto and means for simultaneously elevating or lowering both ends of said frame at the same rate so as to move. itwith a parallel motion.

i. In the laying up of cloth the method which consists in successively suspending different parts of a continuous piece of goods in vertical overlapping relationship on pins carried by a flexibly suspended frame, swinging the frame substantially ninety degrees to deposit the goods on. a horizontal surface and then lifting the frame to disengage the pins from the goods.

5. A method of the character described including the following steps, marking outlines on part of a bolt of piece goods succesively suspending different parts of said goods in overlapping relationship on pins carried by a frame suspended by flexible members in juxtaposition to a work table on which the material is adaptedto be cut to shape, fulcruming the frame and goods car ried thereby on one edge of the table and swinging the same ninety degrees to deposit the folded goods flat on the table and simultaneously cutting the several layers along said outlines.

In testimony whereof I aflir: my signature.

JOSEPH EBENHART. 

